Mortgages and Equity Release

New Borrowers
Mortgage lenders have a variety of programs and loan products that will help you accomplish your dream of home ownership, even if you have little or no money for a down payment.

Get quotes: Different lenders may quote you different prices, so you should contact several lenders to make sure you're getting the best price. You can also get a mortgage through a mortgage broker. Brokers arrange transactions rather than lending money directly; in other words, they find a lender for you. A broker's access to several lenders can mean a wider selection of loan products from which you can choose.
Get Costings: Be sure to get cost information about mortgages from several lenders or brokers. Know how much of a down payment you can afford, and find out all the costs involved. Knowing just the amount of the monthly payment or the interest rate is not enough.

Ask each lender and broker for a list of its current mortgage interest rates and whether the rates being quoted are the lowest for that day or week. Ask about the mortgage's annual percentage rate (APR). The APR takes into account not only the interest rate but also broker fees and certain other credit charges that you may be required to pay, expressed as a yearly rate. A mortgage often involves many fees, such as underwriting fees, broker fees and closing costs. Every lender or broker should be able to give you an estimate of its fees. Many of these fees are negotiable. Some fees are paid when you apply for a mortgage and others are paid at closing. In some cases, you can borrow the money needed to pay these fees, but doing so will increase your loan amount and total costs. "No cost" loans are sometimes available, but they usually involve higher rates.

Negotiate: Once you know what each lender has to offer, negotiate for the best deal that you can. There's no harm in asking lenders or brokers if they can give better terms than the original ones they quoted or than those you have found elsewhere. Once you are satisfied with the terms you have negotiated, you may want to obtain a written quote from the lender or broker. The quote should include the rate that you have agreed upon and the period the quote lasts. When buying a home, remember to shop around, to compare costs and terms, and to negotiate for the best deal.

Remortgaging for the best deal and Equity Release
During the past five years lenders have seen a boom in the demand for second mortgages as borrowers look to capitalise on the equity in their home. The low cost of borrowing coupled with the spiralling value of homes has led to a substantial strengthening of the equity position of many a homeowner. The equity position of some homeowners is in fact so strong that they now find themselves in the fortunate position of having more equity in their home than they have debts secured against their home on first mortgages and other loans.

Buoyed by the healthy state of positive property equity confidence is running high when it comes to homeowners committing to further borrowing. Many are taking the opportunity to secure second and even third charge loans against the equity in their property in order to release cash funds. Even the more conservative borrowers are now beginning to see the light, despite experts predicting of an imminent slowdown in the housing market.

As with the new mortgage advice above it really pays to shop around and it is likely the best deal is to be found from a new mortgage supplier not the bank or institution you are currently with.
In situations of expensive debt, releasing money from your equity may prove a cost effective way of lowering your monthly outgoings helping you to get back on your feet.

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